Police and London Fire Brigade received a number of 999 calls from the public to report five motorbikes and three cars on fire at separate locations within a one-mile radius between 11.45pm on July 25 and 2.10am on July 26.

A Harley Davidson torched by David James Hill

Officers attended the scene and one spotted Hill, from Percy Road in White City , acting suspiciously. He searched the 27-year-old and found a lighter which was unusually warm.

Officers went on to search Hill’s nearby address where the lighter, his clothing and mobile phone were seized. He was arrested on suspicion of arson.

Detectives from Hammersmith and Fulham quickly established that Hill had taken moving footage of the burning cars on his mobile phone, while local CCTV footage also showed him crouching by a bike - a Piaggo moped - which he was setting alight.

Detective Constable Matt Barker said: “Hill’s callous actions could have easily led to risk and injury to himself and the public. Once Hill’s description was communicated via police radio to officers attending the location that night our team worked quickly to locate and arrest him.

“The custodial sentence passed handed to Hill sends a clear message to offenders who blight the community with crimes of this nature, that they serious and that they will pay a price behind bars.”